One thing you learned
- Thread starter Swagdaddy
- Start date
You are so right, mgorvi, wind is your friend if you understand how pheasants react in it. I learned a major lesson this year.
On that day of hunting in steady 35-40 MPH wind, we had worked a little dry ditch next to corn. As we finished the drive, we had stopped and were talking about our next ditch/field to work. I swear it was at least five minutes of talking and suddenly birds began to erupt from underneath us, no more than ten feet at the furthest. I could not believe they would hang that close to us for so long.
I learned they just don't like to fly in heavy wind.
On that day of hunting in steady 35-40 MPH wind, we had worked a little dry ditch next to corn. As we finished the drive, we had stopped and were talking about our next ditch/field to work. I swear it was at least five minutes of talking and suddenly birds began to erupt from underneath us, no more than ten feet at the furthest. I could not believe they would hang that close to us for so long.
I learned they just don't like to fly in heavy wind.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
No offense taken.I shoot 11.50 a box, 3 inch number 3 shot. Improve color. Only when its the law.
benelli-banger
Well-known member
a plastic syrup bottle is the best way to water dogs in the field I have found...prior, I would put my ball cap on the ground on pour water in it for the dogs to drink out of....
kiva
Active member
benelli-banger
Well-known member
I shoot skeet all season long...the choke, that is..
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NDPheasant
Well-known member
Don't be afraid to walk out to those little secluded low areas in a middle of a harvested field. Most don't take the time to hunt them and they usually hold birds. Especially late season! When hunting large sloughs, SLOW down. My main hunting partner is great at reminding me of this. I like to run and gun and cover ground with my Vizslas but in those large cattail mazes slower is better.
kiva
Active member
Hmm....might have to ge a skeet choke and try it.
goldenboy
Well-known member
I learned to listen to your body! I hunted a lot in December. North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota. I was dealing with some what I called mild heart burn. It wasn't all the time but just enough that I carried Tums or Rolaids with me. On Dec. 30th I had a strong attack of heartburn that wouldn't go away with a couple of Tums. My wife decided to call 911 and the ambulance arrived at my house. They hooked me up to a monitor and said I was having a majot heart attack! Two nitroglycern pills under the tongue and a quick ride to the hospital and now I have three stints in my heart. My wife saved me that night. I would have probably fought it off and the next "heartburn attack" would have done me in. The widow-maker artery in my heart was 85% blocked. I am now losing weight, eating right, exercising regularly, and surprise, surprise my heartburn is gone! They say to trust your dog when you hunt, remember especially you guys who hunt alone to trust your body when it is trying to tell you something. I will live to hunt again and I am thankful for that, but I will never ignore the warning signs again! Stay healthy my friends.
Thanks goldenboy for your transparent and extremely important piece of advice. Rejoicing with you and your family that you'll be around longer!
As a former professional athlete, I can resonate with listening to your body. Unfortunately, I closed my ears to what it was saying on my trip to South Dakota this year. I was worn out from two days of HEAVY walking. I should have just road hunted or worked some some ditches or small patches on the last day, but NO, I tore off like a wild Ubanche and cramped up big time in the middle of a long walk. I had to walk stiffed legged back to the truck.
Aging deceives you. Your mind writes checks your body can't cash!
As a former professional athlete, I can resonate with listening to your body. Unfortunately, I closed my ears to what it was saying on my trip to South Dakota this year. I was worn out from two days of HEAVY walking. I should have just road hunted or worked some some ditches or small patches on the last day, but NO, I tore off like a wild Ubanche and cramped up big time in the middle of a long walk. I had to walk stiffed legged back to the truck.
Aging deceives you. Your mind writes checks your body can't cash!
Haretrigger
Active member
"Checks your body can't cash" thats the best description of being on the downhill side of things that I've seen...
Cheers..
Cheers..
dakotasj
Well-known member
I HOPE I learned -- It was a January SD hunt maybe only 5 inches of snow. At 71 years old wind drifts over my knees to get to the places I wanted to hunt and in the cattails where I hunted just took too much of the enjoyment out of the hunt. I considered myself to be in pretty good shape but this kicked my butt. Second thought - doing it alone was not too smart either. Hope I learned...
When a pheasant flushes, especially a rooster, he already knows where he is going. I put my son on the “outside“ of the tree line so he could get a clear shot. I was in the middle with the dogs. Not fun. The wind was blowing strong and I felt they would fly with the wind. Wrong! Well, the birds went the other direction into the wind as they went into a large cattail slew. 2 days later he covered the opposite side of the trees and was ready as he unloaded his automatic a few times.
lesson learned here try and predict where they want to go And cover that direction.
lesson learned here try and predict where they want to go And cover that direction.
NDPheasant
Well-known member
December will be one for the books for you! The off-road trip through the ditch full of cattails would have sent most into cardiac arrest for sure. We are glad that you survived both. It is awesome to hear you are making some healthy life-style choices. I need to join you in that endeavor. Perhaps even the bigger lesson for ALL is to treat each day as a gift and not a given right!
Chessie 67
Well-known member
Not something that is necessarily going to make me a better pheasant hunter, but I realized this year that my dog likes the scent of wild birds a whole lot better than pen raised birds. I had three trips to Western Kansas this year and one to South Dakota. I wish good hunting was a little closer; 8.5 hours to get to my Kansas spot and 12 to get to SD. I hate to admit it, but after all my potholes freeze and the ducks are gone, I do head to the pheasant farm. It is amazing at how much quicker my dog picks up wild bird scent vs PR birds. Any body have any input?
Always fun starting a new pup. More fun than hunting them...well almost more fun
.NMpointinglab
New member
I have learned again and again that the quiet folks get more that their fair share of the action....
no door slamming, no yelling "hen" unless necessary, no whistles, no dog scolding (easy to say, hard to do)…..
If you want to shoot less, hunt next to the noisy guy in the group....
no door slamming, no yelling "hen" unless necessary, no whistles, no dog scolding (easy to say, hard to do)…..
If you want to shoot less, hunt next to the noisy guy in the group....
I have learned that time spent in the field is not wasted. Memories of 2 roosters flying by my parked truck while sitting in it with my son - and then looking at each other wide eyed, like "Lets go get em"! Hunting with friends and family is better than hunting alone, you have alot better stories to tell around christmas when others can chime in.
BritChaser
Well-known member
haven't got the legs of younger years. hunted after snow in NW KS and strained some muscles/tendons on the front of one leg. it is still sore and weak a few months later. have to ration my legs in what seasons i have left. luckily, i've a dandy dog who leaves no cover unchecked. she saves me many steps.